Apparatus and method for weaving pile fabrics



Jul 3, 1934. A. w. SHUTTLEWORTH APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR WEAVING FILE FABRICS 2 Sheets-Sheet l v I IIII I II I l I Filed NOV. 27, 1955 ATTORNEYS u y 3, 1934- A. w. SHUTTLEWORTH 1,965,396

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR WEAVING FILE FABRICS Filed Nov. 27, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR WEAVING FILE FABRICS Arthur W. Shuttleworth, Amsterdam, N. Y. Application November 27, 1933, Serial No. 699,827

4 Claims.

This invention relates to the weaving of tuft pile fabrics of the Axminster type in which the pile is made of yarn drawn from supplies during the operation of the loom. More particularly, the 5 invention is concerned with a novel method of weaving a compound Axminster fabric which is made up of a pair of single fabrics woven face to face, the two fabrics being connected during the weaving operation by tuft yarns which are looped about weft shots in each fabric and have portions which extend from one fabric to the other. The invention further comprehends a loom by which the new method can be expeditiously practiced.

In my co-pending 618,839, filed June 23,

application, Serial No. 1932, I disclosed a loom for weaving Axminster fabrics face to face with the two single fabrics forming parts of the compound. fabric woven one above the other. In one form of that loom, the yarns for the tufts are wound on spools carried on tube frames supported in transporting chains in an order determined by the pattern, each frame for each end of yarn thereby. During the chains advance with a being provided with a tube wound on the spool carried operation of the loom, the step by step movement and in each period of rest, a tube frame is removed from the chains by a transfer mechanism and lowered to insert the tuft yarns. In this operation, the tube frame is dipped so that the tubes thereon pass through the entire group of warp threads and in the tubes, the ends of th threads of the lower lowermost position of the e tubes lie below the warp single fabric and the yarn ends which project out of the tubes extend down below these warp threads. The tubes must, therefore, be sufliciently long to pass through the warp threads of the upperand lower single fabrics and the space between the two sets of warp threads.

In a loom of the tube frame insertion type for weaving a single Axml only through a single ing the tuft inserting 'nster fabric, the tubes pass group of warp threads duroperation and frames with not of suiflcient lengt h to dip the yarns through the two sets of warp threads with the yarn ends completely free from loosely down from the tubes below the warpthe threads and hanging threads of the lower set.

t the present time, there are numerous mills equipped with looms for weaving single Axminster fabrics and each such mill has a large inves ment in tube frame equipment. A typical fabric containing 8 tufts per inch lengthwise includes 1200 rows of tufts in a 12 foot length, which is standard for the most popular size of rug, and the weaving of such a rug consequently requires a set of 1200 tube frames for each loom which are in use during the weaving, an additional full set which must be held in readiness for mounting in the chains during the time that the first set is in use, and other sets which are being threaded and placed in readiness for use. Accordingly, each single loom of the tube frame insertion type requires several thousand tube frames representing an investment of several thousand dollars per loom.

The loom of my co-pending application for weaving compound fabrics likewise requires the use of a large number of tube frames, and while this loom offers great advantages over single looms in its increased output, the replacement of single looms by double looms would require the provision of new sets of tube frames and the scrapping of frames previously in use. The cost of the additional tube frames required and the loss involved in the scrapping of the old frames would place an overhead charge on each of the new looms which would reduce the saving that would otherwise be afforded and the necessity of providing such new tube frames might be a substantial obstacle to the use of the new looms.

The present invention is accordingly directed to the provision of a method of weaving a compound Axminster fabric which can be carried on by the use of tube frames of the type now employed on ordinary single looms, and of a loom by which this new method can be practiced.

The new method is generally similar to that carried on in the loom of my co-pending application but differs therefrom in that the warp threads of the upper and lower single fabrics are so manipulated immediately prior to the insertion of the tuft yarns as to reduce the thickness of the body of the warp threads through which the tube frames must pass. This result is obtained by causing all the warp threads of the upper and lower sets to cross one another at one stage in the Weaving operation, the point of crossing lying immediately in front of the fell of the fabric. While the warp threads are thus crossed,

the tube frames are dipped into the warp threads the yarns can be accomplished by tube frames of the kind ordinarily used with looms for making single fabrics and the new method can accordingly be practiced without the necessity of making a large investment in new tube frame equipment.

The new loom used in practicing the method resembles that of my co-pending application but differs therefrom in that the heddle mechanism is constructed to effect the desired crossing of the warp threads of the two sets at the proper stage in the operation of the, loom.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 illustrates one form of loom for practicing the method of the invention, the loom being shown partly in longitudinal section with various parts conventionally illustrated;

Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5 are sectional views showing different stages in the operation of the loom;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view through one form of compound fabric that can be woven on the loom;

Figure '7 is a face view illustrating certain features of heddle mechanism, and

Figure 8 is a sectional view illustrating the insertion of ways threads with the prior mechanism.

The loom illustrated in the drawings may be employed in the weaving of double Axminster fabrics of various web constructions but, for purposes of explanation, there are shown different stages in the weaving of the compound fabric shown in Figure 6 and made up of webs 10 and 11 in upper and lower levels, respectively. The upper web 10 comprises stulfer warps 12 and 13 in separate levels and weft shots 14, 15, and 16 inserted in the order named and lying, respectively, below the stuffer warps 13, above the stuffer warps 12, and between the stuffer warps 12 and 13. These weft shots are held in place by a single set of binder warps 1'7. The lower web 11 is similarly made up of stuifer warps 18 and 19 in separate levels and weft shots 20, 21, and 22 inserted in the order named and lying, respectively, above the stutter warps 19, below the stuffer warps 18, and between the stuffer warps 18 and 19. The weft shots in this web are secured in place by a single set of binder warps 23.

The two webs are connected together by pile yarns 24, each of which is looped about a weft shot 16 in one web and the corresponding weft shot 22 in the other web, with the ends of the yarns opposed to each other and lying in the space between the webs. Each yarn has a continuous portion extending from one web to the other and these portions of the yarns connect the two webs together and are eventually severed so that the compound fabric may be split into two single ones.

The loom for weaving the compound fabric comprised side frame members 25 between which extends a lower breastbeam 26 to which is attached a breastplate 2'? and an upper breastbeam 28 to which is attached a breastplate 29. The finished compound fabric 30 passes between the upper and lower breastplates and it is split by a knife mechanism (not shown) into two single fabrics 31 and 32. These single fabrics pass around spike rolls 33 and 34, respectively, and are then led to take-up rolls (not shown).

The loom is provided with six heddles arranged in two groups, and the heddles 35, 36, and 3'7 of one group handle the warp threads 12, 13, and 17, respectively, of the upper web, and the heddles 38, 39, and 40 of the second group handle the warp threads 18, 19, and 23, respectively, of the lower web. Each heddle is suspended from the end of a lever 41 pivotally mounted at 42 on a suitable portion of the loom and each lever is provided with an operating rod 43 connected to a lever 44 pivotally mounted on a suitable part of the loom and provided with a rollerbearing on the surface of a cam 45 on the main cam shaft 46. The cams are so shaped as to give the heddles the proper up and down motions during the operation of the loom.

The loom is provided with a pair of needles 47 and 48 (Fig. 2) mounted on a carriage advanced and retracted by a suitable needle motion in the usual way so as to insert shots of weft simultaneously in sheds of the warp threads of the two webs. Each shot is made of two strands of filling material and the inserted shots are beaten up by a reed 49 supported by lay arms 50 fast on the shaft 51 journaled in suitable bearings on the loom frame members. The lay is actuated by an arm 52, attached to the shaft 51, and the usual rods, levers, and cam not shown.

The tuft yarns are carried on tube frames 53 mounted on transporting chains 54 which are led around sprocket wheels 55 on a shaft 56 journaled in brackets 57. The individual tube frames are removed from the chains by the usual transfer mechanism which includes transfer arms 58 pivotally mounted on supporting arms 60 journaled on a shaft 61, the supporting arms being swung about the shaft by rods 62 actuated by cams and levers, not shown. Each transfer arm 58 is provided at its end with a clutch 63 and the clutches of the two arms are operable to release the tube frames from the chains. The clutches are mounted for swinging movement in the arms and are swung by rods 64 actuated by arms 65 on a shaft 66 on which an arm 67 is fast. The arm 67 is actuated by a rod 68 which is in turn actuated by a leve and cam not illustrated.

Disposed above the warp threads are knives 69 and 70 which cooperate in the usual manner to sever the inserted lengths of tuft yarns from the supplies, and the ends of the inserted yarns are looped about holding weft shots, one in e ach web, by upper and lower combs 71 and 72. The comb '71 is mounted in arms '73 pivotally mounted in arms 74 fast on a shaft 75, the shaft being provided with an arm 76 to which is connected a rod 77 also connected to an arm '78 on a shaft 79 of the lower comb mechanism. A rod 80 attached to the upper comb gives this comb its put down motion. The lower comb 72 is mounted in arms 81 pivotally mounted in arms 82 on shaft '79 and a rod 83 attached to the arms 81 is actuated by a lever and cam, not shown, to give the lower comb its put up movement. The put out movements of the combs are effected by the rocking of shaft 79 by an arm 84 and rod 85 which is connected to a cam-operated lever, not shown.

The several stages in the weaving of the fabric illustrated in Figure 6 are shown in Figures 2 to 5, inclusive, and Figure 2 shows the warp threads forming the sheds in the upper and lower levels in which the shots 14 and 20 are inserted by the needles 4'7 and 48. Each of these shots is the first shot of a cycle in its web and the shot 14 is introduced into a shed formed by raising the warp threads 12 and 13 and lowering the warp threads 17, while the shot 20 of the lower web is introduced into a shed formed by raising the warp threads 23 and lowering the warp 18 and 23.

threads 18 and 19. After these weft shots have been inserted and beaten up by the reed in the usual way, the weft shots and 21 are introduced into the upper and lower webs, respectively, and the shot 15 is inserted in a shed formed by raising the warp threads 17 and lowering the warp threads 12 and 13, while the weft shot 21 is inserted in a shed formed by raising warp threads 18 and 19 and lowering warp threads 23. After insertion, these shots are beaten up by the reed.

A row of tuft yarns is now to be inserted and for this purpose, the tube frame 53 in thetransfer arms 58 is lowered with the frame occupying the dotted line position in Figure l. Before the ends of the tubes 85 reach the warp threads, the heddles 35, 36, and 37 of the first group are lowered and the heddles 38, 39, and of the second group are raised, and these movements are such that all the warp threads of one web cross all the warp threads of the other web at a point in front of the reed 49. This crossing of the threads substantially reduces the thickness of the entire body of warp threads through which the tubes must pass and when the frame is swung to the full line position shown in Figure 4, the tubes pass readily through the body of warp threads to a position in which their ends lie below the warp threads. In this movement of the tubes, the tuft yarns 8'7 projecting out of the tubes are drawn through the body of warp threads and hang down freely from the tube ends. The tube frame is then raised from the position illustrated in Figure 4 to that shown in Figure 5, in which the ends of the tubes are free of the warp threads, while the yarns 87 extend through the body of warp threads from top to bottom.

The heddles of the two groups are then manipulated to form the sheds for the holding weft shots and the shot 16 is introduced into a shed formed by lowering the warp threads 13 and rais ing the warp threads 12 and 17, while the shot 22 is inserted in a shed formed by raising the warp threads 19 and lowering the warp threads After these shots are inserted and beaten up to hold the yarns against the shots 15 and 21, the tube frames are raised to draw off from the supplies the lengths of yarn necessary for the tufts and the inserted lengths of yarns are severed by the cooperating knives 69 and 70.

' fhe combs operate to loop the ends of the inserted yarns about the holding weft shots 16 and 22, and the cycle of operations is repeated.

In Figure 8, there is illustrated the operation of a loom of the co-pending application provided with tube frames of the standard type. In this loom, the warp threads 88, 89, of the two webs lie substantially horizontal and in parallel planes during the dipping of the tube frames. When frames having tubes of standard length are employed, the ends 8'7 of yarn projecting out of the tubes are not entirely freed from the warp threads 89 of the lower web when the tubes have been dipped to their lowermost positions. As a consequence, the yarns are not properly positioned when the tube frame rises and the lower ends of the yarns cannot be properly looped about the holding weft shot by the combs. In such a loom, therefore, it is necessary to use tube frames which have tubes of greater than standard length.

In the present loom, the crossing of the warp threads of the two webs immediately prior to the dipping of the tube frames reduces the thickness of the entire body of warp threads through which the tubes must pass to such an extent that ordinary tube frames rnay be used for the purpose. This crossing of the warp threads at the desired time is effected by means of the cams by which the heddles are raised and lowered. and the cams for each group of three heddles are so shaped that at the desired stage in the operation, the heddles controlling the warp threads of the upper web are all lowered and the heddies controlling the warp threads of the lower web are all raised to produce the desired crossing.

While I have described operations of the loom which take place in the weaving of a double fabric, each component of which is a three-plane three-shot fabric, with the pile yarns looped about a shot in each web which lies between stuffer warp threads in upper and lower levels, it will be apparent that the looin may be readily employed in the weaving of a compound fabric in which the component parts are of various other weaves. In the weaving of all faorics on the new loom, the crossing of the warp threads of the two webs is brought about just before the tuft yarns are inserted by causing the threads to be crossed and standard tube frames may thus be employed, regardless of the particular weave of the components of the compound fabric.

What I claim: a

1. In a method of weaving a double Axminster fabric containing spaced webs each containing warp threads individual to it, the steps of manipulating the warp threads of each web to form a shed thereof, inserting a weft shot in each shed, beating up said shots, manipulating the warp threads to cause all the threads of one web to cross all those of the other, inserting pile yarns through the body of crossed warp threads, one end of each of said yarns lying below the warp threads, manipulating the warp threads of each web to form a shed thereof and inserting a weft shot in each shed, beating up said shots, severing the inserted yarns from supplies thereof, and looping said inserted lengths of yarn about said last named shots.

2. In a method of weaving a double Axminster fabric containing spaced webs in upper and lower levels each containing warp threads individual to it, the steps of manipulating the warp threads of each web to form a shed thereof, said sheds lying in said upper and lower levels, inserting a weft shot in each shed, beating up said shots, manipulating the warp threads to cause those of the upper web to cross those of the lower web, inserting pile yarns between said warp threads while they are crossed with one end of each inserted yarn lying above and the other end below said warp threads, manipulating the warp threads of each web to form a shed thereof, said sheds lying in said upper and lower levels, inserting a weft shot in each shed, beating up said shots, severing the inserted yarns from supplies thereof, and looping said inserted lengths of yarn about said last named shots.

3. In a method of weaving a double Axminster fabric containing spaced webs in upper and lower levels each containing warp threads individual to it, the steps of manipulating the warp threads of each web to form a shed thereof, said sheds lying in said upper and lower levels, inserting a weft shot in each shed, beating up said shots, manipulating the warp threads to cause those of the upper web to cross those of the lower web, moving supplies of pile yarns to cause the ends of yarns from said supplies to be inserted between said warp threads while said warp threads are so crossed with one end of each yarn lying below said warp threads, manipulating the warp threads of each web to form a shed thereof, said sheds lying in said upper and lower levels, inserting a weft shot in each shed, beating up said shots, retracting said yarn supplies to draw off lengths of yarn therefrom, severing said yarns from the supplies, and looping said inserted lengths of the yarns about said shots last inserted.

4. A loom for weaving a double Axminster fabric containing spaced webs each containing warp threads, which comprises heddles for separate groups of warp threads of said webs, means for operating said heddles to form sheds, needles operable to insert shots of weft in the sheds formed of the warp threads of the two webs, a lay for beating up said shots, tube frames carrying supplies of tuft yarn, means for moving said frames to cause the tubes thereon to dip through the warp threads, means for severing the inserted lengths of yarn from the supplies on said frames, and means for looping the inserted lengths of yarn about a weft shot in each web, said heddle operating means moving said heddles to positions in which all the warp threads of one web cross all the warp threads of the other web immediately prior to the operation of said tuft yarn inserting means.

ARTHUR W. SHUTTLEWORTH. 

